BASKETBALL: Lady Falcons finish Tip-Off with loss to Steeleville

Elverado had a four-point lead heading into the final period and a chance to pick up their first win of the season against Steeleville on Saturday at the Du Quoin Tip-Off Classic, but the Lady Warriors owned the fourth quarter and held on for a 44-37 win. The Lady Falcons finished the tournament 0-5 after getting outscored in the final frame 14-3.

Steeleville led for most of the night, but the Lady Falcons tied the game at 26-26 in the third quarter on a three-pointer from Brooke Whittington with 4:34 on the clock. The Warriors didn't convert a field goal in the final three minutes of the quarter, allowing buckets from Tori Ehlers, Allie Whittington and Hannah Alstat to give Elverado a 34-30 edge with eight minutes to play.

But Steeleville dominated the fourth period both offensively and defensively, going on a 14-1 run before Emma Bigham finally put in the Lady Falcons' first field goal of the quarter with less than a minute to play.

Elverado was led in scoring by their lone All-Tournament Team selection, Allie Whittington, who had 10 points. Brooke Whittington added 9, Alstat 8, Bigham 4, and Ehlers, Brianna Tuthill, and Savannah Valerius each finished with 2.

Steeleville's Chloe Gerlach, who scored her 1,000th career point during the game, led the Lady Warriors against EHS with 12 points.

Earlier on Saturday, Elverado fell 54-22 to tournament host and co-champion Du Quoin. A. Whittington had 11 points, Alstat 5, Valerius, B. Whittington and Ehlers each had 2.

In Friday night's 65-19 loss to co-champion Murphysboro, B. Whittington had a team-high 7 points for EHS. A. Whittington added 5, Hannah Porter 3, and Morgan Cashion and Kadie Dunmyer each scored 2.

The Lady Falcons (0-5) travel to Gallatin County on Tuesday night.